Mersey Basin Campaign Blog

tranmere, liverpool...and liverpool road...where next?

The book collective have been out and about on the road since our trip to London - things are really gathering steam as we head into the final phase of interviewing and photography. Last Tuesday (yes, the really cold day), we headed for Tranmere Oil Terminal and met Paul Jelley, the Loadingmaster in charge. Paul kindly showed us around the site, and took us aboard a tanker - rather icy on deck, I have to say. Colin and I looked stunning in our safety gear, orange overalls, yellow reflective jackets, hard hats and goggles, as well as protective gloves. The jackets actually made Colin's job quite difficult, as Paul's reflective stripes were being picked up by the flash. In the end, though, he was delighted with the images he took, and we all returned to the warmth of Paul's office to record his interview. I'd love to post an image of us in our Oil Terminal Chic outfits, but, sadly, none are available as yet.

By Friday, I was back on the trail of exhibition venue, and paid a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. Things look positive for us to take the Mersey exhibition there during 2008 for a stint amongst the fantastic steam engines, trains and planes of the Air and Space Hall.

This week has started with a trip back to Liverpool city centre. The train troubles which have haunted the Mersey People project recently seem to have been appeased, and I made it across and back this morning without mishap or delay. Colin and I met Sara Wilde at the home of the Liverpool Post & Echo. Sara was representing Mersey Waterfront and The Mersey Partnership, but also spoke as a Liverpudlian, and an enthusiastic fan of our local promenades and beaches. Colin took Sara's portrait in the building's public atrium, which is currently playing host to an exhibition of mixed-media portraits of Liverpool's leading lights by the artist Anthony Brown. They really are fascinating, and you can spend hours examining the collage of images that form the background to each portrait. Not that I was neglecting my flash-toting duties, of course. ArtinLiverpool's blog wrote about the exhibition a few days ago..... I highly recommend popping in to take a look if you're in the vicinity of Old Hall Street.

That's where 'Mersey..' is up to at the moment, and with so much material recorded recently, I've got a lot to do before the steering group meet next week. So I'll leave the blogging for now, and get back to it.........

Local consultation

Iain Taylor from the Mersey Basin Campaign presented the project idea to the Church Ward Forum meeting on the 9th January and the Crosby Area Committee meeting on the 24th January 2007.  On both occasions there was a positive response to the project - even on suggestions of a new tower that would attract visitors.

January 2007 update

Welcome to the first blog update on the Mersey Observatory Project.  Just to recap - AMION Consulting Limited were appointed in December 2006 to lead a team of consultants including TaylorYoung (architects), Turner and Townsend (cost consultants), Faber Maunsell (transport and access), and Locum (tourism experts).

AMION are producing a feasibility for the project, this will be complete by the end of February 2007.

The project is being led by the Mersey Basin Campaign and is supported by a steering group of stakeholders, including: Peel Ports (or Mersey Docks and Harbour Company), NWDA, Waterloo Residents' Association, Liverpool Biennial, Mersey Waterfront, and Sefton Borough Council.

Wild weather in Lancashire

There was some wild weather the other week, as I'm sure everyone noticed and lots of  brave souls have ventured out to take photos of their local area.

Click here to see the photos from Lancashire on the BBC website.

Ribble Winter Wildlife Walk Sunday 28th January

Save The Ribble are calling all Ribblers to join them and The Preston Society for a Winter Wildlife Walk along the banks of the River Ribble in Penwortham and Preston on Sunday 28th January.

They will begin at 1.30 pm, and expect the Walk to take the whole afternoon to allow for leisurely Wildlife-Watching, very slow walkers, and plenty of doggy explorations along the way (approximately 3 hours altogether) - although, as they will be very local, you can easily leave earlier if you wish!

The Ribble Winter Wildlife Walk will begin at the Old Tram Bridge (between Avenham & Miller Parks and the Penwortham Green Belt) at 1.30pm, moving downriver alongside Preston Junction Nature Reserve and the Penwortham mudflats here, continuing past Old Penwortham Bridge and through Penwortham Holme (past the Penny Holme allotments on one side and the Broadgate mudflats on the other), crossing over Liverpool Road (carefully!) and continuing alongside the Ribble down Holme Road, passing the Preston allotments and Church Woods, and taking in the mudflats which run from just past Liverpool Road Bridge along towards the Docks.

They will stop at Priory Park and return upriver as far as Liverpool Road Bridge, crossing here into Preston and walking upriver alongside the Broadgate mudflats before finishing on Old Penwortham Bridge.  The lowest point of the tide is at around 4.30pm, so you should get plenty of opportunity to survey the mudflats for local and visiting bird species...
...if this Winter's heavy rainfall continues, however, the mudflats will be exposed for much less time than during dryer periods...

You are very welcome to join in - please take waterproofs and a snack and drink, and accompanying friends, family, children, and hounds, binoculars, cameras... The route is wheelchair and pushchair friendly, although bumpy in places.

Marine Reserves Now!

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has launched a high impact campaign to gather public support for a network of protected areas in UK seas to safeguard Britain's marine wildlife.

Less than 0.002% of the UK's territorial seas is afforded full protection, but recent research by the University of York indicates that the public is not aware just how little our seas really are protected. (www.lancashiremcs.org.uk)

You can add your voice to the call for "Marine Reserves Now!" by going to the MCS online video and petition at:

www.marinereservesnow.org.uk

a capital time

Well, I finally made it safely back from London on Wednesday after a successful interview with Lord Heseltine, and the beginnings of a new career as a photographer's assistant - yes, I think I held the flashy-thing quite professionally, maybe there's a future for me in the world of the paparrazzi? We met Lord Heseltine at his offices, and he answered all our questions very fully, You'll have to wait until the book comes out to find out what was said, but it was interesting to hear him talk about his experiences on Merseyside during the 1980s, as well as his take on the river today.

an update from the World of Book

Well, I thought it was time for a quick update on the progress of Mersey: The river that changed the world. The production deadline is approaching, now that 2007 is underway, so Colin and I have picked up the pace on our interviews and photography. I took a trip to Liverpool last week to meet Louise Clark, an angler with Sefton Sea Anglers. Louise was great to interview, and even told me about the time she caught a 'crocodile' off the Sefton coast - at the age of just 7. You'll have to read the book to find out if she's really Merseyside's answer to Steve Irwin.

The next item on the agenda is our trip to London to talk to Lord Heseltine about his time in Liverpool in the 1980s. After some confusion with the A to Z, I'm now all ready to go, and semi-confident that I shan't get lost! We've got some really interesting questions to put to Lord Heseltine, and I'm sure the audio will be worth a listen when it's ready.

When we get back from the capital, we're both meeting Paul, a Loadingmaster from the oil terminal at Tranmere, so I think we might be testing our sea (or river) legs once again aboard a tanker.......

More news when the intercity delivers me safely back to the Northwest.

Taking a Stand

Do you know an individual or group who has taken a stand against anti-social behaviour in their community?

Whether it be through organising litter picks, cleaning graffitti or campaigning for change they have a chance of winning £1000 to carry on their work.

The Respect Awards for Taking a Stand are all about recognising the commitment, energy and courage of a member of the public who have made real improvements in their communites, inspiring those who want to do more to tackle andti-social behaviour.

Closing date for nominations is 31st January 2007 Click here for more information and online nomination form.

'It's your community' funding

The Conservation Foundation and O2 have joined forces to organise a series of grants of up to £1000 called 'It's your Community' awards. The money can be used for all types of environmental projects and in the award notes it states that organisations can apply for money on behalf of groups they are working with.

There is also no limit in the number of grants you can apply for as long as they are for different projects and applications are assessed and awards made every month (except December and August). Community groups, Parish and village councils, youth groups, schools, heritage groups and individuals can all apply.

See what you can do!

Details can be found here